Kampala – A multi-agency delegation of Uganda government officials is undertaking a two-day visit to South Africa in preparation for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit which Uganda will be hosting in January 2024.
The Permanent Secretary (PS) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Uganda, Vincent Waiswa Bagiire led the delegation to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa (DIRCO) for a two-day knowledge sharing visit on hosting the Summit.
According to the Uganda High Commission in Pretoria, at the commencement of the knowledge sharing visit, the PS and his team paid a courtesy call meeting on Dr. Zane Dangor, the Director General(DG) of DIRCO.
“During the meeting with Dr. Zane, both teams shared knowledge on a range of issues that included; South Africa’s views on the future of the Non-Aligned Movement, Uganda’s vision and theme for the NAM Summit, Uganda’s priorities for the NAM Summit, and the task of chairing of the NAM Summit in the current international geo-political environment,” said the Mission in a statement.
After meeting with the DG-DIRCO, it added, the Ag. Deputy Director General of the Global Governance and continental agenda, Zaheer Laher treated the PS and his delegation to an elaborate presentation on the organization structure and methodology of hosting of the NAM Summit and South Africa’s experience on hosting NAM in 1998.
Other topics covered include the NAM Coordinating Bureau, Role of the NAM Chair, the Non-Aligned Security Council Caucus, the Joint coordinating Commitee, the NAM Meetings and their frequency, the NAM Working Group, the Committee on Palestine, the need to build partnerships and continuously engage, the challenge of concurrently charing the NAM and the G77, the need to strategize on how to attain optimal outcomes at the end of the Summit, striking the delicate balance between NAM member states and non-member states’ interests, among others.
“In addition to the above, the Chief of State Protocol of the Republic of South Africa Amb. Losi Tutu and her team shared knowledge with PS’ delegation in the areas of; coordination and events management, operational areas&logistics (venues, accommodation and transport management) arrival and departures, ceremonies, media, finances, accreditation,firearms and aircraft clearance and host of other protocol and logistical arrangements,” noted the Mission.
At the end of the visit, the DIRCO pledged continued support to Uganda’s preparations for hosting the NAM Summit and Chairmanship of NAM.
The PS thanked his hosts for the invaluable time they took off to share the priceless knowledge with him and his delegation. He committed to many more such engagements in future; before, during and after the Summit.
During the summit, Uganda will take over leadership of the NAM from Azerbaijan.
The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.
The movement originated in the aftermath of the Korean War, as an effort by some countries to counterbalance the rapid bi-polarization of the world during the Cold War, whereby two major powers formed blocs and embarked on a policy to pull the rest of the world into their orbits.
